In Uganda, there is a general law covering medical practice. In addition, there are specific laws covering the practice of modern medical and dental practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, and paramedical personnel. But there is nothing specific in the laws of Uganda that governs the activities and practices of traditional healers. Their practices are therefore being governed by an amorphous type of law, which does not spell out the specific responsibilities and limits of their activity. In a situation such as this, it is not possible to organize the traditional health practitioners into a legal entity, as their recognition by the government is not clear, which makes their health care activities unrecognized and unappreciated.

However, our study of the role of traditional healers in the management of diarrhoeal diseases has revealed that in every village in Uganda there are two or more traditional health practitioners. There is therefore a large number of healers in the country looking after the health of more than 80% of the population. Because of the confidence that people continue to have in them, traditional health practitioners in Uganda have a unique place in society and an important role to play in the prevention and control of AIDS, once the government decides to mobilize them to participate in the AIDS control campaign. They are there, and it is thought that they could be used effectively, not only in the control and prevention of AIDS, but also in finding practical solutions to problems in the control of other communicable diseases.